CVE-2025-39542

Xelion Webchat <= 9.1.0 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Privilege Escalation

2025-04-16 00:00
LVT-tholv2k

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 9.2.0
Affected Plugin
Xelion Webchat
Affected Version
<= 9.1.0
CVSS
8.8High
Weakness type
CWE-269 · Improper Privilege Management
CVE
CVE-2025-39542
View all Xelion Webchat vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2025-39542 is a high-severity Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in the Xelion Webchat WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 9.1.0. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Subscriber level or above. The issue is fixed in version 9.2.0; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed April 2025, reported by LVT-tholv2k.

Vulnerability Overview

The Xelion Webchat plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 9.1.0. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to elevate their privileges to that of an administrator.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.

CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management

Reaching this weakness in Xelion Webchat <= 9.1.0 takes an account at Subscriber level or above. Improper privilege management means the code lets an account end up with capabilities its role should not have.

It converts a low-privileged account into an administrative one, which makes every other restriction on the site irrelevant. For Xelion Webchat the fix is 9.2.0: builds <= 9.1.0 are affected, anything from 9.2.0 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 9.2.0, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

Because it turns on account access, WordSec's login security is the relevant layer: role-based two-factor, captcha and brute-force limits raise the cost of getting the account this needs. None of that substitutes for the fix: Xelion Webchat 9.2.0 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

Related records

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